Home Run Conspiracy

June 30, 2000

If you follow baseball, you know that many fans are trying to uncover the conspiracy of too many home runs. Now, I really don't mind too many home runs, especially when they are hit by Pudge Rodriquez or Rafael Palmeiro. And maybe I should stay out of this discussion and leave sports to Larry Mullins and Bill Bumpass of KCBI in Dallas. But I can't resist.

For those of you who don't follow sports, let me give you the facts. More home runs were hit in April than in any other April in baseball history. More home runs were hit in one day than in any one day ever before. More were hit in one week than in any week ever before. I think you get the idea. Baseballs are flying out of the park.

Everybody has a theory, and that's where the conspiracy comes in. Some believe the baseballs are doctored and point to Rawlings or where the baseballs are manufactured in Costa Rica. Well, I think there are easier explanations than the "juiced up baseball" conspiracy.

First, many ballparks are smaller and more intimate. That means foul territory is smaller, so batters get to keep swinging more often after hitting a pop foul.

Second, the players are getting bigger. Have you seen the arms on Mark McGwire? His forearm at 17-1/2 inches is larger than my neck.

Third, the league is getting larger. Major league expansion has added 10 teams since 1969 which dilutes pitching.

Now I know conspiracy theorists want to promote their idea that the problem is in the baseballs. In fact, I found an article about the mud they put on the baseballs in the Wall Street Journal, which is hardly a sports newspaper. Whatever the reason, it seems like the major leagues will set a season record for home runs this year, and that's not all bad.

I'm Kerby Anderson of Probe Ministries, and that's my opinion.